Chronically Yours— Noura Costany

Cushing’s disease is known to cause weight gain, among other symptoms. While dealing with my first pituitary tumor, which was surgically removed in 2020, I gained 70 pounds. In the…

This column describes the author’s own experiences with some alternative therapies. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. “Alternative medicine” is a…

As a Cushing’s disease survivor, I rely on my friends and family more than I would like to. There are days when I need help cooking, showering, or getting other simple tasks done.

I’ve been there a thousand times. Since I’m open about my illness online, people are acutely aware that I’m sick with cyclic Cushing’s disease. When I haven’t seen someone for a long time,…

Living with Cushing’s disease can feel very different from living a healthy life. With Cushing’s, we patients often have flare-ups, which are moments when our condition acts up and we experience…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with ketoconazole, spironolactone, tirzepatide, and several supplements. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping…

This column is dedicated to something that most Cushing’s disease patients have experienced: the dreaded MRI. I’d almost forgotten what an anxiety-inducing experience it can be until I had another scan done…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with ketoconazole, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), spironolactone, and supplements. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping…

People with chronic illnesses live differently than those without them. This was a hard reality for me to grasp. I wanted my life to stay the same as it was before I found out…

Dealing with Cushing’s disease can be hard, and recently I’ve had more bad days than good ones. My goal is to maintain a positive attitude, no matter how frustrating life gets. Recently, I’ve…

I recently had to lower my dosage of ketoconazole, one of the medications I take to treat my Cushing’s disease, because of liver problems. It always takes me some time to…

I’m not sure if this experience is universal, but my Cushing’s disease symptoms change with the weather. Maybe I’m not so alone in that; Georgetown University Medical System, for instance, lists heat…